A reasonable case could be made that the end of the 2016 New York Mets season was the beginning of the end of this current group's run. With the anticipated opt- out of star left fielder Yoenis Cespedes, the Mets were set to find a way to replace not only his offensive production, but the fear he imposed on the Mets opponents and their pitchers. In addition, there were concerns over the Mets biggest strength, their starting rotation, as four of their stud starting pitchers have all had an operation since their last game in the major leagues. Baseball fans and the media, in some cases, have a very short memory. While the probability of Cespedes opting out was a fore gone conclusion, it was just as clear that the Mets would not outbid another team that was willing to give Yoenis a five year deal north of $150 million. The Mets off season started out by preparing for life without Cespedes. The Mets picked up their 2017 team options on outfielder Jay Bruce and infielder Jose Reyes. They also remained interested in bringing back second baseman Neil Walker, who was coming off a solid offensive season which saw him hit .283 with 23 home runs despite missing the last month and a half of the season due to a back problem. The idea was even floated that the Mets would be interested in bringing in free agent outfielder Jose Bautista (was a Mets player for a couple of hours in 2004) as a possible alternative if Cespedes signed elsewhere. It turned out Cespedes did re-sign with the Mets. But please do not act like this was completely expected to happen. The Mets had not given out a $100 million contract to a player since David Wright signed his 8 year, $138 million contract extension after the 2012 season and had signed just three players in their entire team history to deals over $100 million total. In addition, New York gave the $17.2 million qualifying offer to second baseman Walker, who accepted it. The Mets then also brought back relievers Jerry Blevins and Fernando Salas, the former a dominant member of the Mets relief core in 2016 and the latter a surprising run during the month of September of last season, a 2.08 earned run average in just over 17 innings pitched. Added to the returns of Cespedes, Walker, Bruce, and Reyes, the Mets have taken on the San Francisco Giants model of "keeping the band together." Outside of Cespedes being injured, the only thing that could derail this team is a significant injury to their starting rotation, mainly right hander Noah Syndergaard. In fact, a case could be made that the Mets may not be able to recover from a Syndergaard injury in the same way they would one with Cespedes. Syndergaard is coming off a 14-9 season, one in which he finished with a 2.60 ERA, a 1.149 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), a 2.29 fielding independent pitching, a 158 ERA+ and 218 strikeouts in just under 184 innings pitched. Jacob deGrom was limited to 24 starts last season but seems to be back to full strength. Matt Harvey went just 4-10 last season with a 4.86 ERA before having surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Two pitchers who were godsends to the Mets rotation last season are back, Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo. I intentionally left out a starting pitcher and I did that for a reason. Left hander Steven Matz cannot be counted on to be a consistent part of this team's rotation. As far back as can be possibly remembered, Matz has not made it a month without complaining about some ailment in his left arm. It is not a bold prediction to predict that Matz will never make 28, let alone 30, starts in a big league season. Zack Wheeler seems ready to return to the big leagues after missing the past two recovering from Tommy John surgery. Wheeler has to be in consideration for a rotation spot, especially after the latest Matz injury, but the Mets are planning on curtailing his innings to as low as 100 for this season. It is quite possible that the Mets use him as a long reliever to start this season, possibly being a two inning middle reliever. There was a left handed pitcher for the Cleveland Indians who took to that role pretty well last season, Andrew Miller.The fact that there is less than a week away from the start of the season and Major League Baseball has not ruled on a suspension for Mets closer Jeurys Familia really has only one logical solution. Maybe baseball is not going to suspend the Mets righty for his domestic violence incident earlier this off season. If they do now, they look very silly since MLB had the entire off season to do something about it. I understand that Familia did pitch for the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic, but that has been over for quite a couple of days now. If (when) a suspension is announced, I would like to hear the reason the announcement was not made immediately after the WBC was concluded. (Update- Familia has been given a suspension of 15 games to start the season, announced on March 29.)With Familia starting the season on the restricted list, Addison Reed will be the closer. Trying not to look at spring training stats, Reed has not pitched well. But he is coming off a great season in 2016 where he pitched to a 1.97 ERA in 80 games while striking out 91 batters in just less than 78 innings pitched. Salas, Blevins and right hander Hansel Robles will follow Reed with left handed pitcher Josh Smoker earning the role as additional lefty specialist. The last two spots (until Familia returns) can go to Wheeler and right hander Rafael Montero. However, they could also go right hander Paul Sewald, or even to Lugo is Matz is somehow able to start the season in the Mets rotation. (Update- Matz will in fact start the season on the disabled list with Wheeler getting a spot in the rotation, The final spot bullpen spot is likely to come down to Lugo and Montero.)The Mets will have a little bit of a logjam in the outfield with Cespedes, Bruce, Curtis Granderson, and Michael Conforto all being on the opening day roster. The injury to Juan Lagares makes Conforto a little bit more of a fit, though it would be tough to see the latter getting enough playing time that warrants him remaining in the big leagues. But, Conforto can change that as there is always room in the lineup for a player that hits. Lucas Duda comes back from a back injury and is expected to play first base against right hand pitchers, with Wilmer Flores playing against left handers. Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera are back to help form the Mets middle infield, with Reyes playing third base as long as Wright remains out. The biggest question remains at catcher where the Mets are putting all their faith in Travid d'Arnaud. This will be a make or break season for the one time Mets prospect, where the Mets chose not to upgrade the position both at the July 31st trade deadline and this past off season. It is likely that backup catcher Rene Rivera will be Syndergaard's primary catcher, which starts opening day. The Mets lineup should look like this: Reyes 3B, Cabrera SS, Cespedes LF, Granderson CF, Walker 2B, Bruce RF, Duda 1B, d'Arnaud C. The Mets bench will consist of Conforto, Flores, TJ Rivera, Ty Kelly, and Rivera. The Mets possess a couple of top prospects that expect to be regulars for the team as soon as next season. Shortstop Amed Rosario hit .324 last season in High- A and Double- A and should hit for a little bit more power as he adds some more muscle mass. First baseman Dominic Smith hit .302 and drove in 91 runs as a 21 year- old playing in Double- A. Left handed pitcher Thomas Szapucki has Billy Wagner- like stuff and should shoot up the minor league chain in no time. Right hander Justin Dunn should be on his way up in a similar fashion as well. Left hander PJ Conlon does not get a lot of attention because he does not throw hard. He does, however, have very good control and command of his stuff and should down the road be in the discussion when talking about the Mets young future starters. Gsellman and Rivera qualify as rookies and will both be part of the Mets opening day roster. I think the National League East division will come down to the wire this season, something that has not happened since the years of 2007 and 2008. The Phillies had the division wrapped up early in 2009-2011 and the same can be said about the Nationals in 2012, 2014, and 2016, the Braves in 2013, and the Mets in 2015 though some races stood out a little bit longer than others. Vegas has the Mets over/ under number at 89.5 and I am taking the over, slightly, putting the Mets at 92-70, first place in the National League East division, two games ahead of the Washington Nationals. This race will go down to the last series of the season.

It is very seldom that teams choose to make a trade in the last month of the regular season. Of course, any player that is acquired September 1st or later on any calendar year is not eligible for postseason play. Because of that, teams are reluctant to add talent to their teams knowing they cannot use them if they make it into October. But what happens if what a team has is simply (on paper) not strong or healthy enough to finish a prospective run? What if a team is still a player away with a legitimate grip on a postseason spot? What if unexpected injuries make the task more improbable?Already this September, the Pittsburgh Pirates have made a trade for New York Yankees left hand pitcher Phil Coke. And the San Francisco Giants swung a deal with the Atlanta Braves for infielder Gordon Beckham. The Pirates magic number for elimination is one, as a single loss or a single Giants win will end the Pirates run of three consecutive postseasons. The Giants, dealing with injuries infielders Brandon Crawford and Eduardo Nunez, need another infielder to help them extend their season. The New York Mets have been suffering through injuries themselves all season. However, the injuries to their starting pitchers may cost them a chance at making it to the postseason. Having started the season with Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Bartolo Colon, with Zack Wheeler expected to be a reinforcement, only Syndergaard and Colon will ever pitch again this season. The Mets have been fortunate to get some gutsy performances from second tier guys like Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman. With Syndergaard missing his Saturday September 24th start due to sickness, the Mets turned to Sean Gilmartin to make a start, one in which the left hander failed to get out of the first inning against the Phillies. With Syndergaard scheduled to pitch tonight against the Marlins, Lugo to pitch tomorrow and Gsellman to pitch Saturday, the Mets have to choose a starting pitcher for Friday against the Phillies. The Mets options are not very encouraging as manager Terry Collins will have to choose from Gilmartin, Rafael Montero, Logan Verrett and Gabriel Ynoa to pitch what could be their biggest game of the season. In 1987, the Mets were in a similar situation in regards to pitchers getting injured. Battling for the National League East division, the Mets made a trade after the deadline for players to be eligible for the postseason roster. The Mets traded two minor league players to the California Angels for veteran lefty John Candelaria. Candelaria many three starts for the Mets at the end of September for a team that ended up losing out to the Cardinals. Of course, the Cardinals ended up going to the World Series that season, losing to the Minnesota Twins in seven games. Making a trade like this is not easy in the last week of a season. Things have to be factored in such as when a pitcher pitched last, could they start Friday as well as travel concerns. And most importantly, does the option give the Mets a better chance to win on Friday than Gilmartin, Montero, Verrett or Ynoa? Some options include the Angels Jyoulys Chacin, the Padres Edwin Jackson and the Pirates Ryan Vogelsong.

One of the more difficult things for a team to do is repeat as a division champion, let alone win a consecutive league pennant. The Kansas City Royals won the 2015 World Series a season after winning the league pennant, but outside of the 2010-2011 Texas Rangers and the 2008-2009 Philadelphia Phillies, there has not been a team to appear in consecutive World Series since the 2001 New York Yankees, who of course were playing in their forth in a row. Out of the six division winners in 2015, only the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers won their respective divisions the season before. And both teams have their work cut out for them if they plan on doing the same in 2016. The National League East division belonged first to the Atlanta Braves, who from the years of 1995-2005 managed to take the division every season. After the New York Mets won the title in 2006, the Philadelphia Phillies won five straight division banners from the years of 2007-2011. Since then, the Washington Nationals, Braves, Nationals and Mets have all won the division, respectively. The problem of winning consecutive division titles is something that has plagued the Mets, who have yet to do so in their 54 year history. The Mets enter the 2016 baseball season with very high spirits after an extremely impressive, and perhaps unexpected, run through the postseason. It started with the team outlasting the highly favorited Nats to win the NL East. The Mets then defeated the Dodgers in a very contested five game National League Division Series before sweeping the Chicago Cubs to get to their fifth World Series in franchise history. Even though they were outplayed by the Royals, the Mets have every reason to be proud of what they accomplished. But with that, comes higher expectations that need to be met this season. Otherwise, 2016 will become a disappointment. The Mets strength comes from its starting pitching, which is superior to any starting staff in the game in terms of talent and depth. Matt Harvey (13 wins, 8 losses, 2.71 earned run average, 188 strikeouts, just over 189 innings pitched) had as good of a season ever for any pitcher returning from Tommy John surgery. Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.54, 205, 191) backed up his unexpected 2014 National League Rookie of the Year season with an All Star campaign. Rookie Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24, 166, 150) blossomed towards the end of last season and is considered, at this point, to be as good, if not better than the first two in terms of ceiling. Fellow rookie Steven Matz (4-0, 2.27, 34, just under 36, 6 starts) gained some experience starting three postseason games, including game four of the World Series. Right handed pitcher Zack Wheeler (11-11, 3.54, 187, just over 185) seemed to be on his way until he was shut down for Tommy John in spring training of last year. The Mets hope he will return to the fold in June or July of this season. The Mets added infielder Neil Walker (.269 batting average, 16 home runs, 71 runs batted in, .756 on base plus slugging) in a trade for left hand pitcher Jonathon Niese (9-10, 4.13, 29 starts, just less than 177 IP) before signing shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (.265, 15, 58, .744), formerly of the Tampa Bay Rays, to a two year contract. The Mets then signed free agent outfielder Alejandro DeAza (.262, 7, 35, .755) and left handed pitcher Antonio Bastardo (4-1, 2.98, 64, just over 57) to bolster their bench and bullpen, respectively. However, the Mets biggest off season move was the decision to bring back star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes (.291, 35, 105, .870) after the Cuban born free agent was unable to secure the deal him and his agency were looking for. Cespedes was a major reason the Mets played their best baseball in August and the beginning of September of last season, one in which the Mets ran away from the Nationals to take a commanding lead in the NL East. Two of the keys to the Mets offense will be catcher Travis d'Arnaud (.268, 12, 41, .865) and left fielder Michael Conforto (.270, 9, 26, .841). d'Arnaud needs to prove he can stay healthy for a full season as he seemed on the brink of coming together as an offensive force before a couple of injuries sidelined him for an extended period of time. Conforto, just a season removed from his senior season of college at Oregon State, came up last season and seems to have the talent to be a three hitter in the Mets lineup for years to come. Outfielder Curtis Granderson (.259, 26, 70, .821) was the most productive hitter in the Mets lineup last season and was also the most consistent. Curtis really had an outstanding season, taking over the lead off spot in an opening day decision made by manager Terry Collins, one in which neither ever looked back on. First baseman Lucas Duda (.244, 27, 73, .838) is probably the most streaky player in baseball, which will probably force Collins to bat him in accordance to how much he is helping the team offensively. Third baseman David Wright is looking to return from a scary diagnosis of spinal stenosis. Wright returned to the team in August, after missing all but the first eight games of the season, and hit .289, 5, 17, .814 for the season. Wright will not be playing every day, which makes the presence of infielder Wilmer Flores (.263, 16, 59, .703) very important. Flores will spell Wright, as well as Cabrera at shortstop and Walker at second base. The lineup I would go with is Granderson RF, Walker 2B, Cespedes CF, Duda 1B, d'Arnaud C, Conforto LF, Wright 3B, Cabrera SS. The Mets will instill a different look against left handed pitchers, with Juan Lagares (.259, 6, 41, .647) playing center field and Cespedes moving over to left field. Because of the Cespedes signing, DeAza becomes a very expensive pinch hitter, whom Collins will work to get some at bats. Utility infielder Eric Campbell and backup catcher Kevin Plawecki will round out the Mets bench. The before mentioned Mets starting pitchers will be as solid of a staff in all of baseball, as long as they stay healthy. Veteran Bartolo Colon (14-13, 4.16, just less than 195 IP, 31 starts) will hold down the number five spot in the rotation until Wheeler is ready to pitch. In the event the Mets need another starting pitcher, look at them to use right hander Logan Verrett (1-2, 3.59, 39, just less than 48) or left hander Sean Gilmartin (3-2, 2.67, 54, just over 57). Another of the big 2015 performances came at the hands of closer Jeurys Familia (2-2, 1.85, 43 saves, 86, 78), who was thrust into the role after incumbent Jenrry Mejia was suspended for the first of his three performance enhancing drug infractions. Right hander Addison Reed (3-3, 3.38, 51, 56) was acquired in August of last season and will be sharing eight inning duties with Bastardo. Left hander Jerry Blevins is back after a freak injury costed him most of 2015 and he will be in charge of getting left hand batters out. Right hand pitcher Hansel Robles (4-3, 3.67, 61, 54) will be a main cog in the pen, but there should be some caution. In addition to some mental issues the Mets have to be concerned with, Robles remind me of Guillermo Mota, a hard thrower who often became vulnerable. Jim Henderson, the former Milwaukee Brewers closer in 2013, has made the team and looks to regain his All Star form. Verrett gets the last bullpen spot with Gilmartin the first man in from AAA. The top two Mets prospects are both probably a year away. First baseman Dominic Smith (.305, 6, 79, .771 in Single- A St. Lucie) is just 20 years old and will at least spend the entire 2016 season in Double- A or Triple- A if he earns it. 20 year old Amed Rosario could perhaps become the Mets shortstop of the future, but he does have a ways to develop. Gavin Cecchini could get a shot at the big this season and may get an opportunity to be the everyday shortstop before Rosario, depending on how much the latter develops. Look at young pitchers Robert Gsellman, Gabriel Ynoa and Rainy Lara to become some organizational depth and would all be looked at differently if it wasn't for the ones in the major leagues already. Las Vegas has the Mets at 89.5 for their over/ under, their highest expected number since 2009. I think the Mets should be considered favorites to win the NL East but we should precede with caution. We should see the best out of the Nationals this season, but I think the Mets, right now, have a better roster. I think the Mets will finish the season at 91-71, first place in the National League East.

As spring training is about to start in Port St. Lucie, Florida, the New York Mets have to deal with expectations that are as high as they have been in years. Not just because they are coming off their fifth National League Pennant, but the fact that they are expected to do very well this season. In the franchise's 53 year history, the Mets have made the postseason in consecutive seasons just once (1999-2000) and have never won back to back National League East titles. Many of the "experts" have the Mets doing very well. Of course, that leads to expectations that not every team can back up. A good reminder for the Mets would be the 2015 Washington Nationals, who were supposed to run away with the National League East last season. The failure to match the expectations led to a lot of changes in Washington, including the dismissal of manager Matt Williams. Similar to the Nationals of last season, the Mets are blessed with the most talent in the division. The return of their top starting pitchers from 2015 gives the team the best starting staff in the National League. The signing of free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes puts them in a position to duplicate their late season offensive outburst. Prior to the trade for Cespedes on July 31 of last season, the team was the worst offensive team in all of the National League. With Cespedes and the call up of top prospect Michael Conforto, the Mets suddenly transformed into a scoring machine. The key to the Mets of 2016 is obviously their starting rotation. Matt Harvey won 13 games, lost 8, pitching to a 2.71 earned run average and struck out 188 batters in just over 189 innings pitched. A case could be made that Harvey had the strongest season to date of any pitcher returning from Tommy John surgery. Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.54, 205 Ks, 191 IP) proved that his breakout rookie of the year season of 2014 was no fluke. 2015 rookies Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24, 166 Ks, 150 IP) and Steven Matz (4-0, 2.27, 34 Ks, just under 36 IP) added almost another 35 innings of postseason experience to their belt. 2015 Tommy John surgery casualty Zack Wheeler (11-11, 3.54, 187 Ks, just over 185 IP in 2014) is expected to join the rotation in July. Until then, the ageless Bartolo Colon (14-13, 4.13, 136 Ks, just under 195 IP) will hold down the number five spot in the rotation. Other options include Logan Verritt (1-2, 3.59, 18 games, 4 starts) and Sean Gilmartin (3-2, 2.67, 50 games, 1 start). One place that the Mets could have upgraded a little bit better is their bullpen. Jeurys Familia (2-2, 1.85, 43 saves, 86 Ks in 78 IP) became one of the top relief pitchers in the entire National League last season. Addison Reed (3-3, 3.38, 51 Ks, 56 IP) will be with the Mets for the entire season after prospering after a late season trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Mets signed free agent left hand pitcher Antonio Bastardo (4-1, 2.98, 64 Ks in just over 57 IP with the Pittsburgh Pirates) and re-signed left hander Jerry Blevins after his early 2015 season dominance (7 games, 5 hitless innings, 4 strikeouts). Right hander Hansel Robles (4-3, 3.67, 61 Ks, 54 IP) will likely be part of the bullpen, but I strongly feel he needs to step his game up. At times, his fastball has looked too straight and it kind of resembles a 2007-2008 Guillermo Mota. The signing of free agent right hander Jim Henderson to a minor league contract could turn out to be a great move for the Mets. Henderson has returned from surgery that cost him most of the 2014 season and all of 2015. In 2013 for the Milwaukee Brewers, Henderson was 5-5, 2.70 with 28 saves and 75 Ks in 60 IP. While it was stated earlier that the Mets could have upgraded their bullpen a little bit better, a healthy Henderson and the potential emergence of right handed pitcher Rafael Montero could change the perception of the Mets depth. Montero made the team out of spring training, but pitched just five games before missing the remainder of the season. Montero posses a good fastball and has a slider that can be dominant in a relief role. In the past, starting pitchers like Familia and Jenrry Mejia moved to the bullpen allowing for better results. Montero has the tools to be able to do the same. It is extremely understated how solid of a season right fielder Curtis Granderson had for the Mets in 2015. The numbers (.259, 26, 70, .821) do not even describe how valuable he was to the Mets as their leadoff hitter. With the addition of Cespedes (.291 batting average, 35 home runs, 105 runs batted in, .870 on base plus slugging), the Mets have a legitimate number three or four hitter. They also added second baseman Neil Walker (.269, 16, 71, .756) in a deal with the Pirates and signed free agent shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (.265, 15, 58, .744) from the Tampa Bay Rays. Conforto (.270, 9, 26, .841 in 56 games) will be the everyday left fielder with Cespedes in center. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud (.268, 12, 41, .825) played just 67 games last season and hopes are he can stay healthy for a full season. Of course, the Mets captain David Wright is hoping to return to form after a very difficult 2015 season. While he did perform well in the 38 games he played (.289, 5, 17, .814) and delivered key home runs in his first game back from his injury in Philadelphia, the game in Cincinnati where the Mets clinched the NL East title and the Mets first home game of the 2015 World Series against the Royals, thought was Wright's career could have possibly been over. What started out as a hamstring injury turned into spinal stenosis leading doctors to question how long Wright was going to be out. Some players diagnosed with spinal stenosis have never played again. Wright did return, but it remains to be seen how much of an impact he will have on the 2016 Mets and whether he will ever become the same player he once was. First baseman Lucas Duda (.244, 27, 73, .838) is the streakiest hitter in the game. He hit eight of his home runs in a week of games. When he is struggling, it is tough to watch. Hopefully, Duda can maintain his hot streaks a little bit more than he did last year. The lineup I would start the season with would go like this: Granderson RF, Wright 3B, Walker 2B, Cespedes CF, Conforto LF, d'Arnaud C, Duda 1B, Cabrera SS. The lineup would change based on whether Conforto becomes a top player and whether Duda is on a hot streak. The Mets bench will play a very strong role in the performance of this team. A case could be made that the Mets started to gel when they acquired third baseman Juan Uribe and utility player Kelly Johnson from the Braves to deepen their bench. They possess a similar deep bench in 2016, with infielders Wilmer Flores (.263, 16, 59, .703) and Ruben Tejada (.261, 3, 28, .688) having the ability to start for a while if needed. Juan Lagares (.259, 6, 41, .647) won a Gold Glove in center field for the National League in 2014, but battled a shoulder injury and digressed both offensively and defensively in 2015. A forth outfielder role may be ideal for Lagares, who is joined by free agent signing Alejandro DeAza (.262, 7, 35, .755). However, the unexpected signing of Cespedes could make DeAza expendable, especially since his playing time will be drastically effected. If DeAza is traded, minor league invitee Roger Bernadina will have a solid chance of making the team. Kevin Plawecki (.219, 3, 21, .576) will be the team's backup catcher. On the farm, outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Travis Taijeron are both likely to make their major league debuts this season. Obviously, it would take an injury to see either gain a lot of experience this year. Shortstop Gavin Cecchini had a solid season in Double- A and could be in position to join the team in September. First baseman of the future Dominic Smith is expected to continue his rise through the system, potentially putting him in a position to be the Mets starting first baseman in 2017. The 25 man roster the Mets should break camp with as they head to Kansas City on April 3rd should be as follows: Granderson, Wright, Walker, Cespedes, Conforto, d'Arnaud, Duda, Cabrera, Flores, Tejada, DeAza, Lagares, Plawecki, Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard, Matz, Colon, Familia, Reed, Bastardo, Blevins, Robles, Henderson, Montero. Barring injuries, I cannot see any exceptions.

If a grade could be given to the New York Mets 2015 off season, I guess it would vary based on one's vested interest in rooting for the franchise. Outsiders (non- Mets fans) will continue to talk about the Mets projected starting staff, which of course features Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and- sometime in the second half of 2016- Zack Wheeler. The same fans look at the Mets as a 2016 contender solely off the fact that they just represented the National League in the World Series. Of course, with a respective league pennant in hand, it draws the attention of the other 14 teams in the league. Each of the other teams obviously has the goal of accomplishing a league pennant with the dream of a World Series Championship. Fans of the Mets are, for the lack of a better word, disappointed. One of the biggest turning points in the Mets 2015 season was the acquisition of OF Yoenis Cespedes. Cespedes carried the team in the month of August and without him, the Mets may not have won the NL East division on their way to the World Series. 2B Daniel Murphy was the reason the Mets went from a being part of the 2015 postseason to their fifth appearance in the Fall Classic. Murphy's home runs in a postseason record six consecutive games, most importantly in game five in the NLDS against the Dodgers and games 1 and 2 of the NLCS against the Cubs, paced the offense during their best times. Of course, neither Cespedes or Murphy performed at their best in the World Series and their short comings were chronicled as the Mets dropped the Series to the Kansas City Royals. Neither Cespedes or Murphy will return to the Mets, with the latter set to join the division rival Washington Nationals. While the Mets trade for Pittsburgh Pirates 2B Neil Walker and subsequent signing of free agent SS Asdrubal Cabrera solidified the middle infield, the thought that free agent OF Alejandro DeAza makes up for the loss of Cespedes is ludicrous. While DeAza may become an ideal platoon mate for CF Juan Lagares, the Mets still lack the power lost in eventual defection of the former Cuban defector. Easily forgotten in the Mets run to the 2015 World Series was the ineptitude of the team's offense prior to the addition of Cespedes. Mets fans remember the likes of John Mayberry Jr, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Darrell Ceciliani, Eric Campbell and others. Up until the acquisition of Cespedes, and the subsequent returns of 3B David Wright and C Travis d'Arnaud, the Mets were scoring fewer runs than any team in all of MLB. Fear is, the team will resort to being one of the most futile offensive teams. That, and the fact that the Mets have an average (at best) defensive team will add a lot of pressure to the starting pitching staff. Perhaps there is enough time to balance a team that should be expected to contend once again next season. Looking at things from the perspective of a front office, the Mets can use a right handed bat that can play both the corner outfield spots and a little at first base. Projected to start at LF, RF and 1B are Michael Conforto, Curtis Granderson and Lucas Duda, respectively. All of whom bat from the left side. Having a right handed bat to compliment them will allow for better balance in the lineup. The question is, how much of a potential impact bat would the Mets be willing to add? And additionally, will the Mets be willing to stretch a player who may have more experience in the OF than 1B and vice versa. The most logical options include former Baltimore Orioles 1B/ OF Steve Pearce (.218, 15, 40 in 97 games in 2015) and former Cleveland Indians infielder/ OF Ryan Raburn (.301, 8, 29 in 82 games). Raburn has had an inconsistent career offensively, but has been more good than bad, hitting as many as 16 HR and driving in as many as 62 runs in a season. The soon to be 35 year old has played the majority of his games in the outfield with 145 games at 2B and 33 games at 3B. However, Raburn has only played 14 games at 1B. Pearce had a solid 2014 season, hitting .293, 21, 49 in 102 games. Pearce (33 next season) has also just about had a direct split between games played at 1B and in the corner OFs. Thinking outside of the box, perhaps the Mets can gain the benefit of a player on the bounce back. Former Rockies C Wilin Rosario is the prime candidate for a change of scenery. 2015 was the first full season where Rosario has just about completely removed from being a catcher. He was non tendered after struggling defensively as a 1B and making $2.8 million last season. He will be 27 next season and hit 49 HR in his first two MLB seasons. The only issue for the Mets is how much of a chance they would be taking on him by trying him in the OF. This is a team that, remember, once tried Murphy and Duda in the OF before figuring out they should not do that. Could the same be true for Rosario? And what happens if Rosario cannot help out defensively in the OF or at 1B? What do you do with him? If he hits, the Mets will find a way to get him at bats. The next player I would briefly consider is former Royals OF Alex Rios. I wouldn't briefly consider him because he has never played a game at 1B before, but more because of his drop in power the past two seasons. Rios hit just .255, 4, 32 in 105 games for Kansas City last season. In 2014 with the Texas Rangers, Rios hit .280, 4, 54 in 131 games. While the thought of him playing 1B is not that far fetched, this was a player who averaged 15-20 HR a season. It looks like those days are behind him. Prior to the 2013 season, the Mets signed veteran OF Marlon Byrd to minor league contact. He responded by hitting .291, 24, 88 for the Mets and Pirates. The Phillies signed him to a two year deal and after a .264, 25, 85 2014 he was dealt to the Reds and split 2015 between Cincinnati and the San Francisco Giants (.247, 23. 73). His presence in the Mets clubhouse was well documented during his time in NY. Though he has never played a game at 1B, it could be beneficial for the soon to be 39 year old. The final player I would consider if I was the Mets is former Astros 1B Chris Carter. Carter has hit 90 HR over the past three seasons but is coming off a disappointing 2015 campaign (.199, 24, 64). He has played his share of games in the OF and is primarily a 1B, but the issue with him is the fact that he made over $4 million last season and did not have a season to support his salary. Similar to Rosario, it led to him being non tendered. Byrd, Carter or Rosario could all change the complexion of the Mets offense. For a team that plans to use some platooning, having an additional force coming off bench only increases the possibilities for manager Terry Collins. Of course, there are questions over whether or not Byrd can play 1B and certainly over whether Rosario can play either at 1B or the OF. And Carter had his best season (2014- .227, 37, 88) while serving as a primary DH. Odds are, the Mets would have to pay any of the three a little more than a player like Pearce or Raburn would command.

Mets RHP Dillon Gee has likely thrown his last pitch in a New York Mets uniform. That came on June 14th against the Atlanta Braves when he pitched just 3 2/3 innings, giving up 8 runs on 11 hits. While that type of performance leads to pitchers being taken out of rotations and sometimes off of rosters completely, many factors led to that fateful game. Gee became one of the more dependable pitchers on the Mets staff in 2013 and earned an opening day start in 2014 against the Washington Nationals. Since then, an interesting and in some cases, unfair road has put Dillon on the outside looking in as the Mets are poised to play in the postseason for the first time since 2006. Gee was drafted in the 21st round of the 2007 draft. Many players taking that late have a more difficult road to the big leagues since they are not given the treatment of players taken in earlier rounds. While talent has a lot to do with placement in drafts, the main reason top draft picks are treated differently clearly has to do with the financial commitments teams have already made (signing bonuses, etc.). Pitchers not known for a dominating fastball have a more difficult path to the big leagues as well. However, it is not one that is impossible. Gee pitched effectively as a starter for Brooklyn (short season A ball) and St Lucie (high A) and was already in AA by the end of his second pro season. Though he was never as highly touted as the pitchers you hear spoken about with the Mets now, Gee had gotten enough attention that the Mets had him pitch for Ponce in the Puerto Rican Winter League that fall. Gee made his MLB debut for the Mets on September 7, 2010. He was victorious, going 7 innings allowing just 2 hits and 1 run against the Nationals. His 5 September starts resulted in a 2.18 ERA putting him in great position to make the squad the following season. In 2011, he made 2 starts, then 3 relief appearances before sticking in the rotation for good. He grind-ed out a season where he was helped out by some run support. He was 13-6, 4.43- throwing 160 innings over 30 games, 27 starts. He remained in the Mets rotation for 2012, though his season was cut short due to a blood clot, which limited him to just 17 starts. He was back in time for the start of 2013, having his big moment on May 30th of that season. He threw shutout ball for 7 plus innings, leading the Mets to a win against the Yankees. Over Gee's next 28 starts (including the Yankees game), Gee gave up just 61 runs in 202 innings which was good enough for a 2.71 ERA. He averaged 7.21 innings per start putting him up against any of the best pitchers in the game at that time. He was placed on the disabled list on May 10th, costing him almost two months. Unfortunately, Gee struggled after coming off the disabled list, pitching to a 4.78 ERA the rest of the way. The off season for Dillon Gee was not very easy. The Mets were excited to plan the return of ace RHP Matt Harvey, as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. With Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, Jonathon Niese and Bartolo Colon all expected to be part of the Mets rotation, it seemed little room was left for Gee. GM Sandy Alderson just about made it clear that he was looking to trade Gee, something that had to have bothered him. With the sudden injury and Tommy John operation for RHP Wheeler, Gee once again had a spot in rotation towards the end of spring training. However, that coincided with the emergence of RHP Rafael Montero. Montero had a great spring and talk was about how he may be a better option for the 5th starter spot. Gee got the nod, with Montero making the team as a relief pitcher and spot starter. Gee made his first five starts of the 2015 season and had pitched 7 innings in two of his last three. However, this coincided with the readiness of top pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, who was tearing it up in AAA Las Vegas. His numbers were off the charts and more credence was given to it because the Pacific Coast League is considered a hitters friendly league. Time had come that Syndergaard needed to be brought up to the major leagues, which was expected to impact the looks of the Mets rotation. Gee was placed on the disabled list with a groin issue, which happened to coincide with Syndergaard's call to the big leagues. After finally joining the Mets, Syndergaard pitched as well as expected so there was no way he was losing his spot in the rotation. The Mets, all season, had been discussing the possibility of using a six man rotation to minimize the innings of guys like Harvey, deGrom and now, Syndergaard. The choice of the six man did little to appease Gee, who was upset that he had not been added to the roster and thought he was kept on his minor league rehab assignment too long. It looks as if his unhappiness rubbed the Mets front office the wrong way. However, looking back on it, it makes sense to see why Gee would be upset. He threw back to back solid 7 inning outings which he deserved to win, followed by a game in which the Mets lost 1-0. He did nothing to deserve being booted from the Mets rotation. If anything, the Mets could have brought back Gee on time and gone to the 6 man rotation sooner. It is interesting to see how much his performance was impacted by the moving parts around him. Coming in as a sixth starter gave certainly no guarantee he was going to make every start. He was roughed up by the Padres, giving up 7 runs in 4 innings and his next appearance was against the Giants- in relief. Dillon Gee had given everything he had for the Mets organization. He had come up through the system at a fast pace for a guy taken in the 21st round. He won 13 games in his first professional season and had nearly 12 month stretch as one of the top pitchers in all of baseball. He could probably see the writing on the wall from the off season trade discussions, the Mets announcing he would be a reliever, the sudden competition with Montero after he was told he would be in the rotation because of the Wheeler injury- to Syndergaard essentially taking his spot as a Mets starter. There was no doubt Dillon was pitching for a rotation spot that Sunday afternoon against the Braves. He had very good numbers against Atlanta coming in, but for whatever reason, he looked like a different pitcher. The Braves pillaged him for 8 runs in 3 2/3 innings- his worst start in the major leagues. Even though the Mets rallied to win the game in dramatic fashion, 10-8, Gee was designated for assignment after the game. The Mets decided it was no longer worth the trouble to keep a disgruntled pitcher in the bullpen. Plus, two weeks to the day later, rookie LHP Steven Matz made his much anticipated MLB debut. Dillon Gee will be watching the playoffs, the Mets included, from the sidelines. And next season, he will likely be reporting to spring training wearing a different MLB uniform. Based on his track record in the big leagues, he should be given a crack to make the back of a team's rotation. And if he can somehow duplicate his 2013-2014 run, he can become a bargain. Dillon Gee's story is what the comeback player of the year is all about. All he needs is a new team and the ending.